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She’d done the right thing by inviting him here to live. He had nothing, after all, and what had been Wayne’s was rightfully half his. He was doing the job of two men around here, according to Harper, and he was good at it, seemed to enjoy it.
Seeing him with Angie warmed her heart. They were becoming close. Would they ever have a true father and daughter relationship? She didn’t know, but she hoped so. They were gaining ground every day. Angie had forgiven Maria, and she’d forgiven Jeff as well.
Why wouldn’t he forgive her?
She cringed as that fateful night surfaced in her memory. What a fool she’d made of herself, prancing into his bedroom after dark, wearing a flimsy negligee. He’d rebuffed her advances, and she didn’t blame him. It had been one big mistake, and she’d hated herself afterward. Not because she didn’t want to be with him, but because of how she’d gone about it.
She’d tried to seduce him.
And that reminded her of how she’d seduced Wayne all those years ago.
She’d been a fish out of water then, and nothing had changed. She was no seductress. Wayne had fallen for it all those years ago, but he’d been a young man of twenty-six.
Jeff was fifty-four now, and he wouldn’t fall for such antics.
Perhaps he never would have fallen for it. Wayne had been a good man and a good husband and father, but he wasn’t Jeff. Jeff had an inner strength and courage that Wayne had never possessed. Maria had seen that even when Jeff insisted on rebelling against everyone and everything.
He’d paid a horrendous price for those years. Now he could have the life he’d always wanted. They could have the life they’d always wanted. Why was he fighting so hard against it?
She sighed. She’d give him more time.
She had no choice.
* * *
Thirty-Three Years Earlier
“When can I see you again?”
The words were music to Maria’s ears. “Any time you want.”
“You’re so beautiful, my Mia,” he’d said after their last kiss. “I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow on the bike.”
Maria hugged her pillow close. Her skin prickled, and a tickle rose between her legs. All they’d done was kiss—and they’d kissed a lot today—but she felt like she’d given more of herself to Jeff Bay in one afternoon than she’d given to Greg in the last two years. What was it about him?
He was bad news for sure. Of that she had no doubt. Bad news, that is, for everyone but her. He would never hurt her. She was one hundred percent blood positive about that. This man would never harm her in any way.
She drifted into slumber still feeling his lips upon hers.
* * *
“What the fuck do you want?”
Wayne Bay pushed past the door and stepped into Jeff’s small apartment. “Grandpa’s sick.”
Jeff scoffed and rolled his eyes. “You think I give a rat’s ass? After what he did to me?”
“You’ve been a jerk, Jeff. He had every right to disinherit you.”
“And that works out just great for you, the golden boy, doesn’t it?” Jeff took the last drink from his can of beer and tossed the empty into the overflowing trash can in his tiny kitchen. It clattered to the floor.
“I want you to go see him.”
Jeff raised his eyebrows. “Yeah? Well, I want my inheritance back. We don’t always get what we want, do we?”
“If you’re nice to him, show him you care, maybe he’ll write you back in.”
Right. Like his brother cared. Right now he got the whole enchilada. “Fat chance.”
